Posted on 11/27/2007 3:33:04 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
In a longshot campaign to use Sen. Trent Lott's retirement as a slap to Democrats, Bush allies are pushing for Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour to choose retired federal Judge Charles Pickering, rejected by Democrats for higher office, as Lott's replacement in the Senate.
"It would be the biggest in-your-face move if it happened," said one proponent of the move. Pickering was nominated for a federal appeals court post in 2002 but was blocked, in part because of his antiabortion position as well as charges of racial insensitivity. He was renominated and given a recess appointment but eventually withdrew his name.
Proponents of picking Pickering, 70, say it would also help to revive the issue of the role of judges and presidential preferences on the eve of the 2008 presidential race. Pickering's son, Rep. Chip Pickering, and Rep. Roger Wicker are considered the front-runners for the post, however, and GOP sources close to the situation say that Wicker has the advantage.
(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...
Appointing the senior Pickering would be priceless. It’s also improbable, and there’s yet any proof that he’d be interested. Also, I don’t think that Chip Pickering is interested.
I’ll take that trade any day.
Man, I hope old Pickering takes it.
In your face to the Evil Ones!
Would be a great move! Go Charles!
Good riddance to Lott. He was a joke.
John
I like it, I like it.Screw them rat bastards.
The point of nominating a US Senator should not be to make an “in your face” move towards Democrats, but to nominate someone who is the best qualified to be a US Senator and to provide him the aura of incumbency in trying to retain the seat. This is a seat we have to retain, not use to tweak democrats.
So much for Lott’s speech about needing to elect a younger candidate to replace him if Pickering (Sr.) is appointed to this seat.
I hope Gov. Barbour does what’s best for the Mississippi GOP to hold the seat in the long run (whatever that might be, and I don’t claim to know).
Having said that, it would be wonderful to see Mr. Pickering in the Senate, even temporarily.
When will the election to finish out Lott’s term be held? Next November?
That would be an incredible trade. But then again a pile of dung would a 10X improvement.
Notice Foghorn Lott went out like the typical RINO whining because the will of the people didn’t bend to his desires. Well I say to Missh Lott ....take your amnesty to someone who cares. We donn’t want what you try to shove at us.
It should be a safe Republican seat. The only cost would be a year's seniority for whoever is elected next year.
Good choice Sir Haley!
I used to hunt with his dog....series
“When will the election to finish out Lott’s term be held? Next November?”
He has five years left in his term. Whoever Governor Barbour appoints will be in the senate for a long time.
23-15-855 (1), of the Mississippi Code
(1) If a vacancy shall occur in the office of United States Senator from Mississippi by death, resignation or otherwise, the Governor shall, within ten (10) days after receiving official notice of such vacancy, issue his proclamation for an election to be held... within ninety (90) days from the time the proclamation is issued and the returns of such election shall be certified to the Governor in the manner set out above for regular elections, unless the vacancy shall occur in a year that there shall be held a general state or congressional election, in which event the Governor’s proclamation shall designate the general election day as the time for electing a Senator, and the vacancy shall be filled by appointment as hereinafter provided.
What do you mean he’s not interested? It’s only a short term appointment. My bet Pickering would take it if barbour offers it to him.
LOVE IT! It would be AWESOME to send him into the thick of the same bunch of creeps that rejected him!
“This is a seat we have to retain”
And u think a possible conservative democrat would be worse than Lott? They would be about equal. Give em hell pickering.
Thanks.
So... if I understand this correctly, if Lott resigns this year (as he has said he will do), then the election to replace him will be held within 100 days of his resignation, and the appointee would serve until then?
But if he were to leave office early next year, the election to replace him would be November 2008 general election, and the appointee would serve longer?
I thought there is a special election in Nov. ‘08?
I’m with you. Appoint Pickering, then kick ass and take names.
Revenge is sweet esp. if you can stick it to a Democrat. Maybe one of them will have a stroke just seeing Pickering amongst them, and having to be gentlemanly to him instead of insulting a decent man.
That’s the way I read it, since he wants to be out by the end of the year to avoid the new lobbying restrictions I guess they’ll have to have a special election around Feb., if he waits until 2008 Barbour can appoint a replacement and hold the election in Nov
Jeff IS my favorite senator....and last night laying in bed I had the thought that wouldn’t it be a crack-up if Pickering Sr were named as the senator....all our evil minds must thing alike.....
no barbour can appoint now - and then the new repub incumbent will run for reelection in nov 2008....
When will the election to finish out Lott’s term be held? Next November?
Republican Gov. Haley Barbour will name someone to temporarily replace Lott. Barbour announced a special election for Nov. 4, 2008.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1931164/posts
“He has five years left in his term. Whoever Governor Barbour appoints will be in the senate for a long time.”
I like it.
I agree...we Alabamians are pretty happy with Senator Jeff Sessions. He hasn’t let the trappings of power get his priorities skewed. Many of those congresscritters start to let that “world’s greatest deliberative body” booscheeteau go to their heads, it seems.
Semper Fi,
Amen. The ideal appointment, IMHO, would be a bright and accomplished youngster.
SEC. 23-15-855. Elections to fill vacancies in office of U.S. Senator; interim appointments by Governor.
(1) If a vacancy shall occur in the office of United States Senator from Mississippi by death, resignation or otherwise, the Governor shall, within ten (10) days after receiving official notice of such vacancy, issue his proclamation for an election to be held in the state to elect a Senator to fill such unexpired term as may remain, provided the unexpired term is more than twelve (12) months and the election shall be held within ninety (90) days from the time the proclamation is issued and the returns of such election shall be certified to the Governor in the manner set out above for regular elections, unless the vacancy shall occur in a year that there shall be held a general state or congressional election, in which event the Governor's proclamation shall designate the general election day as the time for electing a Senator, and the vacancy shall be filled by appointment as hereinafter provided.
(2) In case of a vacancy in the office of United States Senator, the Governor may appoint a Senator to fill such vacancy temporarily, and if the United States Senate be in session at the time the vacancy occurs the Governor shall appoint a Senator within ten (10) days after receiving official notice thereof, and the Senator so appointed shall serve until his successor is elected and commissioned as provided for in subsection (1) of this section, provided that such unexpired term as he may be appointed to fill shall be for a longer time than one (1) year, but if for a shorter time than one (1) year he shall serve for the full time of the unexpired term and no special election shall be called by the Governor but his successor shall be elected at the regular election.
SOURCES: Derived from 1972 Code Sec. 23-5-229 [Codes, Hemingway's 1917, Sec. 6835; 1930, Sec. 6279; 1942, Sec. 3308; Laws, 1914, ch. 148] and Sec. 23-5-231 [Codes, Hemingway's 1917, Sec. 6836; 1930, Sec. 6280; 1942, Sec. 3309; Laws, 1914, ch. 148], both Repealed by Laws, 1986, ch. 495, Sec. 335; En, Laws, 1986, ch. 495, Sec. 260, eff from and after January 1, 1987.
>> I hope that’s not the case, though, since a GOP Senator that has been in office for 9 months and is running in a presidential election would have a much easier election than someone who has only been in the Senate for 3 months and is running in a low-turnout special election.
It doesn’t appear that our man Trent’s timing was very considerate of his party, or the people of his state; just looking out for his own interests as a lobbyist.
Figures.
He could name himself and resign as govenor--I wish!
“would be a bright and accomplished youngster.”
You mean like how Trent Lott got started? And look at how he ended up.
Don’t you realize when the democrats hammered Pickering they were hammering Mississipians as well? Pickering deserves and the people of Mississippi deserve a little payback... even if it is only a 90 day appointment. In fact, a Pickering short term appointmnet would propably help the GOP maintain that seat. I can see Pickering a short term appointment and then not running in the election.
Reid would be very "Tom Daschle" sad... which is a good thing.
I would prefer a youthful fire breathing conservative in the mold of Oklahomas Senators.
Houston, I just read your post #17, and that’s what I had read elsewhere.
I guess that if Lott resigns prior to Jan. 1 that Barbour must call the special election not later than early April. I hope Lott resigns in January instead of December, but if he insists on resigning on Dec. 31, I hope that Barbour calls the special election for April 9 (the last day possible) so that it’s as close to the income-tax filing date as possible (which would allow the GOP to remind voters about how the Democrats are poised to let the 2003 tax cuts expire, thereby raising taxes in 2011). In any event, I think that Chester will resign effective Dec. 31 and screw conservatives one last time (remember, Lott’s actions are what got us Democrat Congressman Taylor in his old congressional district).
I’ve been trying to think of ways that Gov. Barbour can get around the law and hold the special election in November. Since the law says that the date of the election must be announced within 10 days of the governor receiving notification of the vacancy, couldn’t Lott resign on Dec. 31 but send the notification to Barbour via regular mail, so Barbour wouldn’t be “notified” until early January? Such a scheme may not work, since the law says that the election must be held within 100 days of the notification unless the “vacancy shall occur” in a year in which there is a general election. If Lott resigns on Dec. 31 and Barbour receives notification on Jan. 4, would the vacancy have “occurred” on Jan. 4 or Dec. 31? The Mississippi Supreme Court would probably get to decide that, and it may not rule our way. I think the scheme is still worth it even if the courts rule that the election still needs to be held within 100 days of the notification, since it would allow Barbour to schedule the special election for April 13, when the tax issue would be even more on the minds of voters than if it were held on April 9.
If I were a Democrat, I would propose that Gov. Barbour could read the words “a year” in “unless the vacancy shall occur in a year that there shall be held a general state or congressional election” to mean “a 365-day period” instead of “a calendar year” and thus allow him to call the special election for November 8, 2008 so long as Lott resigned after November 9, 2007, but as a Republican I can’t make such a weaselly argument without cringing. : )
Thanks, deport. I read the text of the law after I posted initially, and posted again (in reaction to the text of the law) in post #39.
You're right, but Pickering might just be able to do both.
BTTT! Great move.
Wicker is the front runner for the appointment unless Amy Tuck is interested. The Dems are insisting on a special election 90 days after Lott’s resignation. If Haley doesn’t cave in to their demands, the media will smear Haley for being a racist for not allowing blacks the right to vote in the special election. Haley must handle the appointment carefully. He is under the microscope since he is touted as a potential Veep.
Wicker is my rep and he also has the highest conservative rating of all of them.
I agree that Roger Wicker is the most likely to get the appointment. Which means a special election to succeed him in the House, and his district is not securely Republican.
I just found out something interesting:
Roger Wicker is a cousin of Fred Thompson’s.
Thanks FMDJ. Just read all the above posts just to realize I don’t have a clue to all that in-dealing, so will refrain from comment. But...
What about Lamar Alexander’s dog in the fight for Senate leadership? He’s tossed his hat in the ring and surely has a load of favors and connections to call on. Lamar! is far more recognizable to the general public than any nepotist opportunists and pretty much epitomizes “safe centrist”.
” if he were to leave office early next year, the election to replace him would be November 2008 general election”
Here’s an interesting twist....
Sen Vacant Lott was interviewed on Supertalk MS Radio this morning. What he said in the interview was that he would serve “until the end of the current session.” If Dingy and the dimwits decide to pull the same stunt thru Christmas as they did thru the Thanksgiving break, then the session will not end until after the first of the year. That could actually ruin Lott’s lobbying plans and the dimwit plans to force a spring election.
>> What he said in the interview was that he would serve “until the end of the current session.”...That could actually ruin Lott’s lobbying plans and the dimwit plans to force a spring election.
Ha! We should be so lucky. But my guess is, his personal desire to beat the lobbying restrictions will trump his integrity to do what he said he’d do... if this conflict arises he’ll be outta there by 12/31.
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